Wild-card winners are the story of this season’s NHL playoffs. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars upended the NHL’s No. 1, No. 2 and No. 8 teams respectively in the post-season’s first round. The Carolina Hurricanes pushed the No. 4 Washington Capitals to a seventh game Wednesday. “There is nothing to pick
Canada
Tuukka Rask made 32 saves as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Tuesday to win their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal 4-3. Sean Kuraly and Joakim Nordstrom, with a goal and an assist each, and Marcus Johansson scored for Boston before Charlie Coyle and Patrice Bergeron both added empty-net goals. John Tavares
The pace and excitement of 3-on-3 overtime isn’t just a thrill for hockey fans — NHL players love it too. An Associated Press/Canadian Press survey of NHLPA representatives from all 31 teams found that 97 per cent of those polled enjoy the league’s current overtime format. The survey also shows there are other rules the
The pace and excitement of 3-on-3 overtime isn’t just a thrill for hockey fans — NHL players love it too. An Associated Press/Canadian Press survey of NHLPA representatives from all 31 teams found that 97 per cent of those polled enjoy the league’s current OT format. The survey also shows there are other rules the athletes
WINNIPEG—General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff says an upcoming summer of “tough decisions” means changes are on the way for the Winnipeg Jets. Young stars such as Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor are due hefty raises now that their entry-level contracts are coming to an end, but the team was already near the $79.5-million (U.S.) salary cap,
Jordan Staal scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Monday night to force Game 7 in their first-round playoff series. Justin Williams scored an insurance goal seconds after the Capitals had the tying goal disallowed, Warren Foegele and Teuvo Teravainen
LAS VEGAS—Sharks goalie Martin Jones had the playoff performance of his life, and Tomas Hertl made sure San Jose’s season didn’t end Sunday. Hertl scored with 8:43 left in the second overtime to give the Sharks a 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. San
The Philadelphia Flyers removed a statue of late singer Kate Smith outside NHL team’s arena Sunday, two days after covering it amid allegations of racism against the 1930s star with a popular recording of God Bless America. “The NHL principle ‘Hockey is for Everyone’ is at the heart of everything the Flyers stand for,” Flyers president
ST. LOUIS—Last in the NHL in early January, the St. Louis Blues keep making history and celebrating an unlikely run. After having a league-worst 34 points on Jan. 2, St. Louis became the seventh team to make the playoffs after being in last place at the start of the new calendar year. St. Louis Blues’
Game 7 in Boston is not a comfortable position for long-suffering Leafs fans. They’ve been here before, and they’ll be there again after the Bruins’ impressive 4-2 win in Toronto on Sunday forced another Game 7 between the storied franchises. It will be the third since 2013. The Maple Leafs and their fans need not be
WASHINGTON—Nicklas Backstrom needed five games to match his goal output from the entire 2018 playoffs, and he and Alex Ovechkin have the defending champion Capitals one victory away from the second round. Backstrom had two goals and two assists, Ovechkin had a goal and two assists and Braden Holtby stopped all 30 shots he faced,
Nicklas Backstrom needed five games to match his goal output from the entire 2018 playoffs, and he and Alex Ovechkin have the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals one victory away from the second round. Backstrom had two goals and two assists, Ovechkin had a goal and two assists and Braden Holtby stopped all 30 shots
DENVER—The brief message on social media from Colorado defenceman Nikita Zadorov was rhetorical in nature: “How is your bracket?” Obviously, it’s pretty messy. Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau, right, hangs his head as time runs out on the team’s season against the Colorado Avalanche in Calgary on Friday. The Avalanche, who had to push
The young Dallas Stars have blossomed this post-season, and now their top line of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov are showing just how much damage they can do together. The combination has put the West’s first wild card a win away from reaching the second round. Radulov scored two goals in the second
CALGARY—Add the Flames to shocking Stanley Cup playoff exits this season. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Flames 5-1 on Friday night to win their first-round series four games to one. The Avalanche advanced to the second round of playoffs for the first time since 2008. Calgary topped the Western Conference with a 50-27-7 record, but
Add the Calgary Flames to shocking Stanley Cup playoff exits this season. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Flames 5-1 on Friday to win their first-round series four games to one. The Avalanche advanced to the second round of playoffs for the first time since 2008. Calgary topped the Western Conference with a 50-27-7 record, but
Jacob Trouba hopes recent history will repeat itself for the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets face elimination from the playoffs in Saturday’s Game 6 in St. Louis, but the veteran defenceman and his teammates are drawing confidence from a pair of victories at Enterprise Center over the last week. “It’s the biggest game of the year
RALEIGH, N.C.—Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie lay flat on his back with both feet in the air before the pain looked so unbearable that he rolled over on his side and screamed. This first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes is tied at two games apiece, but that lasting image of Oshie down on the ice